Author Express

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This is your place to hear the voice behind the pages of your favorite books. Here you’ll get a feel for the person who spent hours, weeks, months, and even years to fill the pages and build a world where you can not only use yourself but possibly find yourself as well. Our gift is a glance at the human side of writing; perhaps a morsel from the author’s childhood, insight on the character to which they are most attached, or a little on the passion that fueled the topics in the book. It’s your chance to get to know some of your favorite writers in a new light. We’ll give you a quick glimpse into their latest work and pique your interest in your next read, but we’ll also let you get to know a little about the authors themselves. As you’ll see in our episodes, we end up in some great conversations, whether they are about the historical significance of a topic, a laugh around chasing cows in the mud, or a few moments musing on travel and the best parts about visiting France. It is our goal to connect you with authors from varying genres and styles of writing and to keep in concert with our title by keeping them “Express” so you can easily work them into your weekly routine. Hosted by Shawna Rodrigues, Podcast Mentor, Owner of Authentic Connections Podcast Network, Host of The Grit Show www.thegritshow.com, and Internationally Best-Selling Author. Co-hosted by Kathleen Basi, musical composer and songwriter, feature writer, essayist, nonfiction author, and of course, storyteller.

Episodes (53)Default

Author Express- Teaser Episode- Just an Introduction2022-11-26

Author Express is your chance to discover the voice behind the pages. An opportunity to get to know the human side of writing as we visit with authors form a variety of genres. This teaser is meant to tell you more about our format and what we offer. We ask you to follow us and join our double entendre each Wednesday as we keep episodes close to fifteen minutes and glean an impressive amount from our writers.

2 min

Follow Your Main Character's Lead - Especially When She's a Pirate with Author Sarah Branson2022-12-01

On today’s show we get to know Sarah Branson, a former nurse-midwife who now writes cross-genre speculative and women’s fiction that involves air-borne pirates three hundred years in the future. Her stories are set against the backdrop of an Earth changed by fires, floods, and pandemics, but are firmly rooted in the strength and resiliency of the human spirit.Sarah first started conjuring stories of pirates when her family hopped a freighter to Australia when she was seven. She has since grown up, traveling extensively across the US and the globe. She raised her family in Michigan and still longs to swim in the bays of Northern Michigan. She worked as a receptionist, retail clerk, writing tutor, business owner, and certified nurse midwife. She also taught science and history to middle school and high school students in the U.S., Brazil, and Japan. Through these myriad experiences, she developed a deep appreciation for people’s strength and endurance and fully believes that badass women will inherit the earth and the Earth will be better for it. An indie author, she draws on all of her experiences when creating stories about strong women and men finding adventure, love and their paths in worlds that are constantly changing. Pirates of New Earth is her first series and Book 1: A Merry Life, Book 2: Navigating the Storm, and Book 3: Burn the Ship are available now with the final book of the series, Book 4: Blow the Man Down planned for January 2023. Sarah lives with her husband in Connecticut. You can learn more about her at www.sarahbranson.com

13 min

An Unconventional Road Trip with Author Kathleen Basi2022-12-07

Today we visit with author and composer Kathleen M. Basi. Kathleen is mother to three active boys (read that: always breaking something) and one chromosomally-gifted daughter. A proud native of flyover country and an honest-to-goodness farm girl (as in cattle, hogs, chickens, grain bins and a combine), she spent her childhood climbing trees, jumping off hay bales and chasing cattle back into their pasture when they broke through fences. (But she never once tipped a cow.)Her debut novel, A SONG FOR THE ROAD, follows a musician on an unconventional road trip. Road trips are familiar territory for Kathleen, as she took several cross-country RV vacations with her grandparents as a child. She saw more national parks in her first 10 years than many people see in their entire childhood. These days, though, she likes to dig in and find the local flavor, when she can.Her degrees are in flute performance, and she has been involved in music for worship since she was ten years old. She’s been writing stories even longer than that. (School bus. Second grade. Orphan Annie fanfic.) She believes the world—and life—is beautiful, and her fiction explores the beauty that can be found even in the most difficult circumstances. Meaty, earnest, occasionally humorous, and ultimately uplifting, her fiction highlights the best within ourselves and each other.Follow on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/kathleenmbasi and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/kathleenbasi/ for updates on her next book, set in California's wine country.

12 min

Driving Societal Change Through Novels with Paulette Stout2022-12-14

Today we’re talking to Paulette Stout, author of fast-paced contemporary women’s fiction novels, which each focus on a different social issue. Some topics may be new to readers; others may be familiar—but with a fresh twist. Regardless of theme, Paulette delivers lively, readable prose that keeps readers eagerly turning pages.Raised by a single dad in Manhattan, Paulette is the gold-star wordsmith and owner of her content marketing agency, Media Goddess Inc., where she crafts content for her list of global clients. Prior to MGI, she led content and design teams at several tech companies, and one educational publisher where her elimination of the Oxford comma caused a near riot.Paulette now balances her marketing work with living her dream as a published author. To date, Paulette has published two novels, Love, Only Better, and her most recent release, What We Never Say. Paulette also has published two short stories available for free on her website, and will be included in a women’s fiction anthology due out in Spring 2023. Connect with Paulette on her website for book links, blogs, and free reads at www.paulettestout.com. You can also find Paulette on Facebook and Instagram @paulettestoutauthor and on Twitter @StoutContent.

14 min

Writing with Aphantasia & the Benefits of Beta Readers w/ Maggie Giles2022-12-21

Maggie Giles is a positive, outgoing person who enjoys creating new connections and experiencing new opportunities. She is a Canadian author whose debut novel - The Things We Lost - published in April 2022. The Things We Lost began as a story about what if. It started when Maggie had her own what if questions about the turns her life had taken. What started as a therapeutic project, turned into a relatable story that has a woman wondering if the grass is truly greener.Maggie is an active member of the Women’s Fiction Writers Association where she has volunteered as their Social Media Director since June 2014. If she’s not writing, Maggie is usually bogged down with some other creative project. She has a love for knitting and sewing as well as cooking up a storm. She also has an irrational obsession with Shawn Spencer.With two more novels scheduled for publication, Maggie's next books follow a detective as he uncovers the gritter side of Toronto and Ottawa, and investigates a mysterious prescription drug. You can learn more about her on her website, www.maggiegiles.com and sign up for her newsletter. If you want to keep up to date with her writing projects, check her out on instagram at www.instagram.com/maggiegiles_

13 min

America's Misinformed Nostalgia for the 1950's with Author D.W. Hogan2022-12-28

On today's episode we will talk with DAWN HOGAN about what is known as "The Baby Scoop Era." She was inspired to write her debut novel UNBROKEN BONDS when she was asked by a dear friend to search for the birth mother who gave her up for adoption, Dawn's research uncovered the rarely talked about homes for unwed mothers who shamefully coerced millions of young women to relinquish their babies to sealed adoptions. She was fascinated and appalled by the degrading tactics perpetrated by the institutions that profited unscrupulously under the guise of benevolence. During this time in history, the basic rights of the unfortunate girls were not presented, and they were told to go on with their lives as if nothing had happened. Unable to shelve the nagging emotions which effected these women and their rehomed children, Dawn constructed a fictional account of the disturbingly true circumstances which make up one of this country’s disgraceful and hidden secrets. Check out DWHogan.com for more information. You can follow her on Facebook D.W. Hogan author, on Instagram @dawnhoganauthor, Twitter @DawnDWHogan1 and https://www.goodreads.com/dawnhogan

13 min

Feminist Fiction and Why So Little Women's Fiction is Set in the Work World w/ Lainey Cameron2023-01-04

Lainey Cameron is an author of women's fiction and a recovering tech industry executive. Her award-winning novel, The Exit Strategy, an Amazon #1 bestseller, was inspired by a decade of being the only woman in the corporate boardroom. It's been called a "rallying call for women to believe in themselves and join together" and tells the story of a Silicon Valley investor who first meets her husband's mistress across the negotiating table.She’s the founder and host of the popular Best of Women’s Fiction podcast, a proud member of Women’s Fiction Writers Association, believes community makes the author's life worthwhile, and is on a mission to obliterate the term aspiring writer.A digital nomad—meaning she picks locations around the world to live (and write) for months at a time—Lainey is an avid instagrammer, and loves to share her book and travel insights.Originally from Scotland, she has a soft spot for kilts and good malt whisky.Connect with Lainey and join her mailing list on her website https://www.laineycameron.com/ and follow her on Instagram @lainey_cameronBest of Women's Fiction Podcast: https://www.bestofwomensfiction.com/

15 min

Writing That Connects is Key for Author Shawna Rodrigues2023-01-11

On today’s episode we get to chat with Shawna Rodrigues, a Women’s Fiction author with a laugh you will not easily forget. You may also recognize her as one of our hosts! After twenty+ years as a leader in the public and non-profit sector, Shawna transitioned to work as a consultant, all so she could finally finish the novel she always dreamed of writing. It was a joyous and arduous journey, but less than a year after leaving her career, she penned the final words of her debut novel, Beyond the Pear Blossoms. The jubilation was quickly eclipsed, as days later her hometown succumbed to unimaginable tragedy. The Almeda Wildfire hit the Rogue Valley in September 2020 and in less than 24 hours, they had lost over 2600 homes, including the home of her niece, fiancé, and her future mother-in-law. After seeing the way the community mobilized to address this tragedy, she dedicated her novel to the resilience of the residents in this community and half of the author’s proceeds are being donated to the Rogue Valley Habitat for Humanity as they continue to build affordable homes alongside individuals displaced by the fire.By interweaving life lessons with endearing characters and transformative experiences, Shawna creates Women’s Fiction that helps us see how universal our experiences are and what a gift of escape reading can be. Boldly chasing her writing dream also unlocked other creative adventures and Shawna credits it for making her podcast, The Grit Show possible. This path also led to her creating the Authentic Connections Network, a podcasting network with a primary goal of amplifying women’s voices in podcasting and increasing the abysmal 27% of podcasts hosted by women by 10% in 5 years; 37 by 27. This audacious goal and focus make it harder to find time for writing, but she will release the short story, "Every Mother's Peanut Butter" as part of a Women's Fiction anthology A Million Ways: Stories of Motherhood in the Spring of 2023 - the pre-order is now available at https://bookshop.org/a/. She also continues to make slow and steady progress on her narrative non-fiction Daughter of the Accused. This is a story that will take time to bring out into the world.You can learn more about her on her website www.ShawnaRodrigues.com and follow her on Instagram www.instagram.com/shawnabospdx -which will be the best place to be kept up to date on her next release!orSupport your local bookstore & this podcast by getting your copy of Beyond the Pear Blossoms at https://bookshop.org/a/

12 min

Coastal Reads with Jenn Bouchard2023-01-18

On today's episode, we will chat with Jenn Bouchard, speaking with us from the Boston suburbs. Jenn has been teaching high school social studies for 23 years and is the parent of two teenagers. After completing a major volunteer position as the president of her college's alumni association in 2014, she had the out-of-the-blue idea to write a novel. Not having written anything fictitious since middle school, she had no idea what she was doing. Three years later, she had completed a draft of FIRST COURSE. After many edits and a few bumps and detours, it was ultimately published in 2021 by TouchPoint Press. From 2020-2022, five of her short stories were also published by literary magazines. Her second book PALMS ON THE CAPE only took six months to draft, as Jenn found a system of writing that works for her. It will be published this summer. She is getting ready to self-edit her third novel CONSIDERING US before passing it along to her trusted chief beta reader, one of her closest friends from growing up as a military brat. She plans to begin work on a fourth novel this spring.Jenn is a member of the Women's Fiction Writers Association and Grub Street, a writing center in Boston. She is also a part of the Every Damn Day Writers and Bookish Road Trip Facebook groups, as well as the Author Collective, a small group of women writers who are dedicated to supporting each other in their writing careers. She has found being a part of the community of authors to be one of the biggest surprises of her life, as she never really thought about the friends she would make along the way. She is very grateful for them.You can learn more about her on her website, jennbouchard.com and follow her on Instagram at @jennbouchardbos - which is the best place to learn about the upcoming publication of PALMS ON THE CAPE.Get your copy of FIRST COURSE at your favorite bookseller or through links at https://linktr.ee/jennbouchard

15 min

Shifting Voices and Multiple Points of View with Carolyn Korsmeyer2023-01-25

After some years pursuing an academic career, Carolyn Korsmeyer now spends most of her time at the keyboard writing fiction. In addition to wanting to see what happens as her plots unfold (for she is an incurable pantser), Carolyn sees fictional narrative as an opportunity to reflect on memory, impression, and the different angles that characters (and the sorts of people they represent) have on the same subject. This inspired the focus of today’s talk: “Shifting Voices and Multiple Points of View.” Many of the scenes in her new novel, Little Follies: A Mystery at the Millennium, present differing perspectives on events that are imperfectly understood. Two of the main characters are Americans who have moved to Krakow for several months. They are not familiar with the place, only one of them speaks Polish, and to add to that source of disorientation, they stumble across the path of a man who is dabbling in magic. Adam, a historian, is conducting research at the archives of a large museum. His companion, Joan, has come along for the ride, harboring vague plans to re-boot her journalism career. As the story progresses, it is her perspective that comes to guide the reader, for it is Joan who emerges as the person whose actions and points of view prevail. She is an example of a female character who begins fictional life in a role that is adjunct to her male companion, but whose voice becomes more and more prominent as her inventiveness and sense of adventure propel the plot and its resolution.Carolyn is familiar with Krakow—one of her favorite cities—from five extended visits there. She discovered on each trip how radically and quickly the city was changing. In Little Follies, she tries to capture the feeling of the place at the end of the last century. This novel took a very long time to complete, as each time she came back to Krakow she wanted to revisit the scenes where the story takes place. Little Follies is an example of a book where patience and a lot of revision finally paid off.You can learn more about Carolyn at her website: www.carolynkorsmeyer.com, where there are links to her books, blogs, and podcasts. Please find your copy of Little Follies at your favorite bookseller, at Black Rose Writing: https://www.blackrosewriting.com/mystery/littlefollies orSupport your local bookstore & this podcast by getting your copy of Little Follies at https://bookshop.org/a/

11 min

Amey Zeigler: Finding Your Author Purpose2023-02-01

Our special guest today is award-winning and best-selling author, Amey Zeigler. She is best known for her heartwarming and laugh-out-loud romances, reminiscent of the chick-lit genre of the early 2000’s mixed with a healthy dose of women’s fiction. Her most successful book, The Casserole Dish, is a tribute to a neighborhood that taught her how to offer the olive branch of forgiveness, using her own experiences with depression and loss to guide the characters through their journey. It also explores the theme that everyone has a reason for acting the way they do and to not judge people too harshly. Although The Casserole Dish has won a few awards, what touches Amey the most is the many readers have contacted her and shared how the book has impacted their life. What keeps Amey writing books is how words heal her readers. She once had a friend who’d been through a tough time and was struggling. She read one of Amey’s books and called her, laughing so hard, she couldn’t even speak. The humor in the book helped her through a tough time. This became Amey’s main motivation for writing, to heal the wounded soul, to make them laugh or cry as a moment of catharsis. In her twenties, she lived in Switzerland and France for sixteen months as a volunteer missionary, learning to speak French. She struggled to adapt to the culture and to speak the language. Humor is pain plus time. She wrote the laugh-out-loud and award-winning romantic comedy, The Swiss Mishap, as a love-letter to Switzerland and all the experiences she had while there--all reimagined in the voice of a chocohaulic young woman getting the wrong internship. You can sign up for her newsletter on www.ameyzeigler.com or follow her in Instagram http://www.instagram.com/ameyzeigler You can find The Casserole Dish Amazon or B&N at https://tinyurl.com/md8b8sne

14 min

The Power of a Sad Story - Why Books can be Therapeutic with Julee Balko2023-06-17

Julee Balko has been a Creative Director, brand builder, and content creator for years – while mothering and lassoing her three crazy daughters in her spare time. But she’s always wanted to be a “real” writer – the kind who has a book with her name on it.The Things We Keep is her first novel and a dream come true. Julee started writing The Things We Keep after her mother passed away because she was thrust into a world of grief that no one talks about. Julee has always been drawn to writing about interesting characters and complex relationships. She wanted to create characters that go way beyond your “let’s go shopping” kind of mothers. This book was especially written for women and men who are a part of the sandwich generation – those who are trying to take care of their aging parents while balancing parenting, a job, and multiple glasses of wine. She just finished her second novel, “The Me List,” which brings to life an unlikely friendship between neighbors. Sometimes the realtor next door helps you find a home. Sometimes she helps you find yourself. Learn more about The Things We Keep: https://www.juleebalko.com/Follow her on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/juleebalko/ or Twitter https://twitter.com/misplacedcomma2Do you know an author that you would love to hear more about? Did you have an episode that you were especially fond of? Follow us and send a DM on Instagram - https://instagram.com/AuthorExpressPodcast - we love to hear from our listeners!

14 min

The Indie Author's Local Author2023-06-17

Today's episode features Z or Zachary Jeffries, two pen names from one author writing Science Fiction and Fantasy for readers nine years old and up. Always a late bloomer, Jeffries didn't get into novel-writing until his late-thirties, and by then he'd amassed experience storytelling through short stories, poetry, and theatre. Thanks to the support and community he found in local writer's groups as well as NaNoWriMo, Jeffries realized his long-held dream of completing a novel, releasing Chase: The Boy Who Hid (Book One of the Hide & Seek Chronicles) in 2020.After releasing four books in his upper Middle Grade series, the Hide & Seek Chronicles (Miss: the Girl in Disguise, Gamble: One Champion Wins, Gamble: Two Lives Away) and traditionally Middle Grade book, Pro Wrestling Saves Earth, Jeffries began finding success in local in-person events. Since he'd begun self-publishing amid COVID, by the time the opportunity to sell and sign books arose, he had a five book backlist with one on the way. Jeffries quickly fell in love with meeting readers, hand-selling books, and connecting with kids with a similar affinity for words. Fresh off his Valentine's Day release of his first Young Adult Paranormal Romance, Angel of Fate (available at https://bookshop.org/a/), Jeffries prides himself in his title as local author. Through local events and media, he's established himself within his community as a storyteller, library volunteer, and resource for budding authors. He's taken his experience and infectious optimism to TikTok, where he hopes to spread the word on how a lesser-known indie author can become a local author well-known in their hometown.You can get a taste for Jeffries' writing at www.zjeffries.com and catch his videos over at https://www.tiktok.com/@zjeffries?lang=en. With books that take place in small towns across America as well as his focus on building readerships nearby then branching out, he hopes to be every indie author's local author!

17 min

Blue Skies2023-06-17

Connection is something we seek from the time we are children.Building friendships and finding connection is something that can seem harder as we get older, rather than easier. Yet, connection, community, and collaboration are things we all need. Trish and Diane found commonality in their roles as leaders in the fire service. With less than 1% of women occupying the roles they are in, it was valuable to find someone else with this shared experience The two have built a solid connection over time, and in this episode reflect some on how they have cultivated and found value in this relationship. They also touch on the journey of a leader and the importance of the community you create that can help to hold you up when times are challenging. They touch on some leaders they look up to, share some challenging experiences they have been through, and share the ways they have grown. Trish says it best, she is a ‘perfectly imperfect’ leader, and the most important ingredient is to always be authentic and embrace the uniqueness that you bring to the table and to the position.Trish Connolly lives in Bend, Oregon, with her husband, son, and highly anxious dog- Duncan. She loves all outdoor activities, including mountain hikes, snowboarding, and mountain biking. She is a yogi, book club advocate, and inspiring meditator.Trish works at Bend Fire & Rescue and has been with her department for 22 years. She was the first female firefighter hired at her department and now holds the rank of Deputy Chief.The best way to connect with Trish is on Linked In:https://linkedin.com/in/trish-connolly-a7337353How to connect with Diane:www.thefireinsideher.com Diane@Thefireinsideher.com Instagram @TheRealFireInHer Linked In -  www.linkedin.com/in/dianeschroeder5/Are you excited to get your copy of the Self Care Audio download that Diane mentioned?You can get that HERE - TheFireInsideHer.com/audio

39 min

Best Selling Author Nancy Yeager Enjoys Story Telling In All Forms2023-06-17

Today we’re chatting with Nancy Yeager, a bestselling author of historical and contemporary romance who is adding women’s fiction to her repertoire. Her first women’s fiction novel, WHEN WE WERE FRIENDS, released on October 25, 2022. Nancy spent her early years longing to be an English countryside vet thanks to James Herriot’s All Creatures Great and Small series, and dreaming of being an adventurist-archaeologist thanks to George Lucas’s Indiana Jones character. After studying veterinary pre-med and earning an anthropology degree, she realized her true passion is story in all its forms.When she’s not reading, writing, or binge-watching stories, Nancy is often pursuing fitness goals like completing 90-day fitness challenges and aspiring to achieve the perfect crow pose. She also spends her time drinking too much coffee, not enough red wine, and just the right amount of bourbon. She lives in Maryland with her fabulous family, which includes some very spoiled rescue cats.You can learn more about Nancy’s work and sign up to receive stories and sample chapters of her work at her website, https://nancyyeagerbooks.com. You can also follow her at https://www.bookbub.com/profile/nancy-yeager to keep up with all of her book news.

15 min

Bringing More Inclusivity to Story Time with Children's Author Lindsey Larsen2023-06-17

As a mother herself, Lindsey understands the hectic nature of parenting as well as the time demands placed on children. Yet, as parents we also have the responsibility to educate our children in a variety of topics such as areas of personal growth and development. Lindsey hopes to provide engaging stories that spark nurturing conversations about these very topics during story time with your children!You can learn more about Lindsey and find links to her book on her website Lindsey-larsen.com. You can also follow her on Instagram @ot_homeschool_momorSupport your local bookstore & this podcast by getting your copy of Lindsey's book, Meeting Exceptional Friends at https://bookshop.org/a/.

14 min

A Psychological Thriller Perfect For Our Times2023-06-17

Today we meet author Leslie Kain, who was cursed with a subtle droll wit that even her husband often doesn't "get" as a joke. Leslie has always been writing something, even as a kindergartener. Stories, riddles, plays, poems, inventions, secret plans. Culminating in running away across country at the age of fifteen, never looking back, which launched other adventures she won't divulge. Then with degrees from Wellesley College and Boston University, she had careers in psychology, government intelligence and nonprofits for mental health, during which her writing was limited to nonfiction. Eventually though, some complicated characters found their way out of her head into short stories published in journals and anthologies. More characters began pestering her with THEIR stories, expanding into novels about messed-up people and families whose greatest barriers to happiness lie within them. Very few of her stories end in Happily Ever After.While Leslie's first novel sits on a shelf awaiting revision, her second novel, 'Secrets In The Mirror' was published by Atmosphere Press last September. Each of the four main characters in that story had to undertake arduous emotional journeys to personal transformation. Although not all of those characters' journeys were successful, Leslie didn't think the ending warranted a sequel. But her main character had other ideas, and now she's writing a sequel. Will there be a Happy Ever After? Meantime, Leslie has an overstuffed folder of many story ideas awaiting her. But living in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, an international mecca for history, music and all the arts, it's not always easy to find time to tackle all those new stories begging to be told. You can learn more about Leslie -- and stay up to date on her new writing -- on her website https://lesliekain-psychfiction.com/, and by following her Facebook Author page https://www.facebook.com/Psychological.Fiction as well as on Instagram @leslie.kain and Twitter @lesliekainauth1

12 min

Writing to Recover and Reimagine with Kayla Degala-Paraiso2023-06-17

On today's episode, we're chatting with Kayla Degala-Paraiso, an experimental, cross-genre, short-form writer. She has a B.A. in Creative Writing from Pitzer College. The title-story of her undergraduate capstone collection, “Morena,” was awarded the 2018 Bea Matas Hollfelder Award. Her debut publication, “This Is How You Haunt Me,” was nominated for a Pushcart Prize in Creative Nonfiction. Her writing often explores emotional and political entanglements; challenges craft conventions; and sucker-punches you in the gut. Kayla’s family migrated from the Philippines. Movement is in Kayla’s bones: she has lived in NYC, Connecticut, Southern California, Italy, Nepal, Boston, Northern California, and Los Angeles. Movement has taught her that there are endless ways of existing — both within oneself and as a part of society. She has learned that those who cannot exist in peace suffer because of dissonance between how they exist within themselves, and how society requires them to exist. Kayla dedicates her life to replacing that dissonance with harmony through socio-political change and writing. Thus, she organizes communities around labor, immigration, and transnational human rights; and teaches both literature and creative writing. While her literature classes are offered exclusively to UCLA students through UCLA’s Department of Comparative Literature, her virtual creative writing classes are hosted through GrubStreet and are open to the public. Kayla also consults writers of all genres and forms on their writerly projects.Kayla is currently a student in UCLA Luskin’s dual Master of Public Policy and Master of Social Welfare program. When she’s not studying or teaching, Kayla works on two writerly projects: a speculative story about the missing goddess of the underworld, and a collection of pieces about surviving the westside of Los Angeles. Kayla publishes under “K.” Follow her at kdegalaparaiso.com. Kayla metioned A Bestiary by Lily Hoang https://bookshop.org/a/90599/9780996316743

11 min

Women's History, Please. And Bring the Action.2023-06-17

Today we get to chat with Kerry Chaput, award-winning historical fiction author with a passion for adventure stories. She attempted her first story at age twelve but didn’t find the courage to pursue writing until she turned forty. With a twenty-year career in physical therapy and raised by a US History teacher, it’s no surprise she gravitated toward historical action-adventure as a genre.After joining the Women’s Fiction Writers Association, her commitment to learning the craft of writing took on obsessive proportions, and she’s never looked back. Her debut historical Daughter of the King won a gold medal in the Independent Publisher Awards and is a finalist for the 2022 Chaucer Award for early historical fiction. It continues to top the charts in French Historical Fiction more than a year after its release. The follow-up Daughter of the Shadows, releases March 30, and the final installment of the trilogy is slated for release in March 2024. Her first young adult historical Chasing Eleanor is also in preorder, with a release date of June 15. She balance a full time job in healthcare with a family and a continued drive for her passion for storytelling. She has no plans to slow down any time soon. You can connect with her at her website kerrywrites.com and check out her successful TikTok page @kerrywrites with weekly highlights of fascinating women from history.

14 min

Settings Come Alive in the Horror Tales of Robert Harrison2023-06-17

Today we're chatting with Robert Harrison, who writes horror and supernatural thrillers under the pen name R.W. Harrison. He's a marketing professional currently living in Florida, but preparing for a move to the Cleveland, Ohio area, where he's from originally. He published his first book, The Onyx Seed, in 2014 and it was inspired by a series of poltergeist experiences he had around 1990. Shortly after his son was born, strange things started happening in the house, such as rocking chairs rocking by themselves, electronic devices turning on and off by themselves, light switches flipping up and down, hearing voices, etc. He had been recounting these occurrences for years and decided to write a book based on the 18-month-long experience. Robert also conducted extensive research on Filipino folklore and introduced some elements from it to elevate the story above the run-of-the-mill ghost story.A sense of place is important to his writing, whether it's upstate New York for the setting of the Onyx Trilogy (The Onyx Seed, Onyx Rising, Onyx Nightmare), or the Ocala National Forest in Florida for Raven's Temple, or the New England coastline for The Ghost of Witch's Point, Robert uses his deep connections to the areas in such a way that they almost become characters in the stories. He felt this the most in the Onyx Trilogy, set in and around Letchworth State Park, about fifty miles east of Buffalo. Both his mother and father were born and raised not far from the 17-mile-long gorge that is the centerpiece of the park, featuring three major waterfalls on the Genesee River, and a railroad trestle over the Upper Falls. Letchworth is a magical place, with 500-foot cliffs and stunning overlooks, and Robert tried to -- surprisingly -- incorporate as much beauty as he could into a series of horror novels.You can learn more about Robert and his books at his website, www.rwharrisonbooks.com, and can download his free novella, The Ghost of Witch's Point, exclusively on his site. All his books are available on Amazon. You can also follow him on Instagram at www.instagram.com/robertharrison_author.

13 min

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